Wooden utility poles remain in wide use throughout the world because they are easily obtainable and easy to work with. However, wooden poles have deficiencies that continue to reduce their life span. They can be easily degraded when placed into the earth by fungus, insects and moisture. As well, wooden poles are often treated and impregnated with highly toxic chemicals such as creosote, copper, zinc, arsenate and PCB derivatives that have deleterious effects on the environment. These chemicals can leach into the surrounding water table and pollute it. To overcome these deficiencies, numerous types of pole boots and coverings have been tried. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,305 “Process for In-Situ Treatment of Wood Poles” issued to Landers on May 28, 2001 discloses a treatment for wooden poles whereby the use of toxic chemicals is continued. Holes are drilled into the pole which may compromise the structural stability of the pole. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,409,798 “Device for Protecting Objects from Encroaching Elements” issued to Freeby on Aug. 12, 2008 there is described a device which comprises disbursing a bentonite material around the base of the utility pole. The device and method is most likely expensive as it requires the excavation of a large hole in which to place the material and containment barrier.
Therefore, there continues to be a need for a device and method for protecting wooden poles which is easy to use in-situ, is inexpensive to apply and results in a significantly prolonged life for the wooden pole.